Fruit grader and sizer



J. F. BARGHAUSEN.

FRUIT GRADER AND SIZER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10. 1920.

1,338,276. Patented Apr. 27,1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET l- YINVENTOR XWWQ J. F. BARGHAUSEN.

FRUIT GRADER AND SIZER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10. 1920.

Patented Apr. 27, 1920,

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J. F. BARGHAUSEN. FRUIT GBADER AND SIZER. APPLICATION FILED-FEB. no.1920.

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INVENTOR J. F. BARGHAUSE N.

FRUIT GRADER AND SIZER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.10, 1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 4- .1 ,338,276, Patented Apr. 27, 1920.

J. F. BARGHAUSEN.

FRUIT GRADER AND SIZER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB- 10. I920.

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FRUIT GRADER AND SIZER- 7 APPLICATION FILED FEB- 10, 1920.

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J. F. BARGHAUSE N.

FRUIT GRADER AND SIZER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10, 1920.

Patented Apr. 27,1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

J. F. BARGHAUSEN.

FRUIT GRADER AND SIZER.

APPLICATION man FEB. 10. 1920.

Patented Apr. 27, 1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

INVENTOR JOHN F. BARGI-IAUSEN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

FRUIT GRADER AND SIZER.

Application filed February 10, 1820.

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Apr. 27, 1920.

Serial No. 357,744.

(FILED UNDER ACT OF MARC-H 3, 1883, 22 STAT. L., 625.)

To (all whom it may concern:

lie it liIlOWD that 1, JOHN F. BARGHAUSEN, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, and an employee of the Department of Agriculture ofthe United States of America, residing in l i ashington, D. (l, andwhose post-office address is Department of Agriculture, i izisliing'ton, D. C., have invented a certain new and useful Fruit Graderand biizer, of which the following is a specifi a more efficient andeconomical means for.

sizing and grading fruits, "and an additional object is to handle fruitin such a way in the sizing and grading operation as to minimize thebruising or other injury to the fruit.

The apparatus used by me consists of two separate parts, one part knownas the conveyer and the other known as the sizer and grader.

f clearly illustrate my invention in the accompanying drawings whichform a part of th present specification. In said drawings T have shownone specific form of the apparatus of my invention, but it is to beunderstood that the invention as expressed in the claims may be embodiedin a plurality of forms.

Referring to said drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross section of'the apparatus taken on a line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the apparatus taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the conveyer.

Fig. 5 shows graduated adjustment for tracks, the supports for tracksand ratchetconstruction for canvas apron.

Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of the laterally adjustable sheaves andtheir cooperating adjustable discharge chutes.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the mechanism for adjustment by lever movementof tracks.

Fig. 8 is a side view of the same.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 7 and illustrates the screw regulatedform of track adjuster.

J} 1g. 10 is a side view of the same.

Fig. 11 is an end view of the same.

Fi 12 is a side view of the belt or rope couplbr.

Fig. 13 is a top view in cross section of the same.

Fig. 14 is a front view of the lock plate for the lever track adjusters.

Fig. 15 is a side view of the same.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the grader and sizer A. comprises asuitable frame 1, upon which is mounted a packers bench. 2, canvas drops3, padded canvas chute 3*, and bin 4. Also journaled on the frame 1 areshafts 5 and -6, to which are attached. grooved pulleys 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,12, 13, 14. At one side of shaft is a sprocket wheel 15, over whichtravels a chain 16, connecting with another sprocket wheel 17 on shaft18 to which power .is imparted by any suitable means. The shaft 18 alsoimparts power to the conveyer 19 by means of a miter gear 20 whichmeshes with a miter gear 21 attached to a shaft 22 whichshaft 22 isequipped with a small sprocket wheel, 23, over which runs a chain 24,which in turn connects with a sprocket wheel 25 attached to shaft 26over which travels the roller conveyer 19. Between the pulley wheels 7,8,v 9, 10 and 11, 12, 13, 14 are the tracks 28, 29, 30, 31. The tracks28 and 31 are supported by iron supports 32 which are in turn supportedby frame 1. Tracks 29 and are supported at one end by a mechanicaladjusting device 33 shown in Fig. 9, which is attached to the frame 1.These tracks 29 and 30 are also supported at the other end and atintermediate points by mechanical devices, 34 and 34*, which areattached to the frame 1. Endless ropes or round leather belts 35 travelover the aforesaid grooved pulleys and the groove 36 in the tracks28-31, and these ropes or belts 35 are held taut by means of a pulleywheel 37 on a shaft 38 in an arm 39, to one end of which is fasteneda-bar 40 capable of receiving weights 41 at one end thereof and securedat the other end thereof to frame 1 by means of a pivot 42. The ropes orround leather belts 35 are made endless bymeans of a coupler 43 whichcomprises four parts, two sheaves or thimbles 44 with 49 and into therope, causing the ends of frame 1 by means of iron bars the rope tospread against threads The screws 46 and 47 are then coupled together bya pin 48, thereby forming a pivot oint.

The adjusting device and support 33 for tracks 29 and 30 is secured tothe frame 1 by means of screws 50 which pass through a bar 51 the ends52 of which are turned up at right angles. The ends 52 have openings orbearings 53 to receive the shaft 54 which has right hand threads at oneend 54 and left hand threads at the other end 54 This shaft 54 is placedin position through the slot 55 into the bearing 53 and is held inposition by means of the pin 57 which is inserted through the end. 52crosswise of andabove shaft 54. On the shaft 54 are two lugs 58 whichare threaded to correspond with the threads 54 and 54 on the shaft andattached to these lugs 58 by means of screws 59 are four members 60which are in turn affixed to plates 61 by means of the screws 62, whichplates 61 are attached to the tracks 29 and 30 by means of the screws63. Two of the four members60 are supported by and slide over ironsupports 6O which are fastened in any suitable manner to bar 51.Attached to one end of the shaft 54 by means of a bolt and nutattachment 65 is the pipe 64 which extends the full length of theapparatus and which is equipped with a wheel 66. The pipe 64 passesthrough frame v1 which is especially constructed as follows: The frame 1at the point where the pipe 64 passes through consists of two pieces oftimber 1" and 1", the upper piece 1 being provided with a groove 03 toaccommodate the pipe 64. The pieces of timber 1 and 1 are fastened.together and also to the main part of The turning of the wheel 66 causesthe shaft 54 to turn, thereby causing the tracks 29 and 30 to eitheropen or close to any desired extent depending upon the direction inwhich the wheel 66 is turned. The extent of the opening or the closingof the tracks 29 and 30 whenthis wheel 66 is revolved is indicated byindicators 67, attached to tracks 29 and 30, which indicators point tograduated scales 68, a l'hxed by any suitable means to the brace 32 atthe end. of the track. When the tracks 29 and 30 are closed or opened acorresponding movement of the pulley wheels12 and 13 is caused by meansof angle iron shifters 69, one of the'e'nds of which is attached to thetracks 29 and 30, the other ends O1 which are attached to grooves 70, inthe hub 71 of the pulley wheels 12 and 18. 11-12 and 1314 are loosewooden pulley wheels 72 somewhat smaller in diameter than the groovedpulleys 11 to 1.4, which said pulley wheels 72 revolve around shaft 6and are held apart from each other and Between pulley wheels against thegrooved pulley wheels 11 to 14 by means of a spiral spring 73. This anrangement permits the pulley wheels 72 to,

revolve at will and also follow theadjust ment of the grooved pulleys 12and'13.

At the cull or near end 7470f the grader A there are two lever trackadjusters 34, which are adapted to adjust by a simulta-' neous parallelmovement the width of the opening between tracks 29 and 30 for it'CllS-tance extending from the conveyer near end v'75 to the end 76 of thecull section 74.

These lever track adjusters 34 are secured to the frame 1 by screws 77which pass through a bar 78, the ends 7 9 of which are turned up atright angles. The ends 79 have bearings 80 to receive the pipe 64. Thepipe 64 also passes through and acts as a guide for loose fitting lugs81 and 81 Attached to the lugs 81 and 81 by means of screws 82 and 82*are four members 83 which are in turn afiixed to plates 84 by means ofthe screws 85, which plates 84 are attached to tracks 29 and 30 by meansof the screws 86. Two of the four members 83 are supported by and slideover iron bars 87 which are fastened by any suitable means to bar 7 8.The movement of these adjusting devices is obtained by the operation-ofbar 89 by'a riveted pivot 91, the third bar 90 belng attached at one ofits ends to lug 81 by screw 82 the other end being at 'tached toapproximately the center of bar 89 by a riveted pivot 92. Bar 89 isattached by means of a screw 93' to bar 7 8 evenly spaced between theriveted pivots 91 and 92, and said bar 89 has its opposite end 7 boltedto a rod 94 which extends through an opening 95 in look plate 96 whichis attached by suitable means to frame 1. 7 The end of rod 94 near thelock plate 96 is bent down so as to form a handle 97,, which when movedinwardly or outwardly "opens on closes the tracks 29 and 80 at the Bull.end 75 of the grader A. The involuntary movement of the rod 94 isprevented by a simple locking device consisting of a small metal plate98 fastened at the top to plate 96 by;

a screw pivot 99.

a o1 semi-clrcular movement, and'drops by the action of gravlty to topof bar 94 when This plate98 is capable released at or near height ofmovement. The bottom of bar 94 is ratcheted and it rests upon and fitsinto the lower part of opening 95. It is thus apparent that the bar 94cannot by reason of said ratchets be moved forward or backward when heldagainst the lower part of opening 95 by the plate 98.

Near the center of the grader A is a lever track adjuster 34 of similarconstruction and operation to the aforesaid track adjusters 34 with theexception that it is operated by a rod 100 on the opposite side of theadjuster 34 to the rod 94 on adjusters 34. This adjuster 34 controls theopenings of tracks 29 and 30 to. any size within its range between thescrew adjuster 33 and the end 76 of the cull section 74. A lockingdevice 101 of similar construction and operation to the locking devicefor rod 94 is provided for rod 100. Beneath the cull section 74 issuspended from the stationary tracks 28 and 31 a canvas chute 102. Thefruit that passes through the cull section 74 of the grader A falls uponthis chute 102 and is conveyed by gravity to any suitable receptacle(not shown) The canvas drops 3 extend from the end 76 of the cullsection 74 the full length of the grader A and are positioned, at aslight angle toward bin 4 directly under the tracks 28 -31. Fruit thatpasses between the tracks in the area covered by the canvas drops 3falls upon said drops and then by force of gravity rolls over canvas pad3 into the bin 4. These canvas drops 3 are fastened by any suitablemeans to the frame 1 near the far end 103 of the tracks 2831. Thesedrops 3 are fastened at the end 76 of the cull section 7 4 to woodenrolls 104 which are provided with grooves 105 to receive the ends of thecanvas drops 3. Each of the rolls 104 is equipped with an iron shaft 106which passes through the center of the rolls 104. A bar of iron 107suitably bent and attached by screws 108 at one end 109 to the frame 1and at the other end 110 to tracks 28 and 31, is provided to receive theshaft 106 of each roll 104. The ends of the shaft 100 are adapted torevolve in bearings 111 in iron bar 107. The iron bar 107 is braced byan iron brace 112, one end 113 of which is attached to bar 107, theother end 114 to frame 1, by any suitable means. The shaft .105 extendsbeyond the outer side 115 of bar 107 a sufficient distance to permit ofthe attachment thereto by any suitable means of a ratchet wheel 116 anda hand wheel 117 The ratchet wheel is equipped with a ratchet lock 118which is pivoted on bar 107 at point 119 by means of a screw 120 whichpermits a leverage movement. One end of the lock 118 fits into theratchet wheel 116 and the other end has attached thereto by any suitablemeans a spiral spring 121 which is in turn secured at its other end tobar 107, thereby obtaining a tension on ratchet wheel 116 and preventingthe involuntary movement of the roll 104. By the above describedmechanism the tension of the canvas drops 3 may be controlled.

Suitably fastened to shaft 6 and frame 1 are metal bars 122 and 123 sopositioned that a wooden shelf 125 superimposed upon a connecting bar124 is adapted to hold at a slight angle, concave galvanized iron chutes126 which are pivoted directly in front of the pulley wheels 111-1 bymeans of bolts 127. The chutes 126 are equipped with leather pads 128 toprevent bruising of fruit that may fall thereupon and slide thereover.These chutes 126 are intended to receive and dispose of any fruit thatis carried over the end 103 of the tracks 28-31 and over the loosepulley wheels 72. By the adjustment in a circular movement of the chutes126 such fruit is guided in the desired direction to the padded canvaschute 3*, from whence it is conveyed by gravity to bin 4.

In the practice of my invention the fruit to be graded and sized isplaced upon an inclined padded hopper 129, of the conveycr 19 fromwhence the fruit is conveyed by gravity on to rollers attached to adetachable chain, said rollers conveying the fruit to declined chutes130. As the fruit travels upon the rollers it is caused to revolve bythe rotatable movement of the rollers, thus enabling the grader whostands beside the conveyer to observe the full circun'rference of thefruit, and to remove any defective fruit. The fruit that is conveyed tothe chutes 1.30 is conveyed by gravity to endless ropes or bolts 35,which said ropes convey the fruit, and through which ropes and thetracks the fruit drops to the cull section or other parts of the gradingdevice, depending upon the size of the opening between the ropes and thetracks and the size of the fruit being conveyed upon the ropes. The cullfruit automatically drops on to the canvas chute 102 for culls; the sizeof the opening between the ropes and tracks through which the cull fruitdrops, such opening being parallel, is controlled by the lever adjusters34, which are operated by handle 97. Fruit remaining on the ropes afterthe cull section 74 has been passed is graded by falling through theropes and tracks depending on the size of the opening between the ropesand tracks and the size of the fruit, the ropes and tracks divergingfrom the end of the cull section 76 to the end of said tracks 103 andsaid ropes or belts whereerated by wheel 66. Thesize of the openingbetween the ropes and tracks midway between the end of the cull section76 and the screw adjuster 33 is controlled by the lever adjuster 343,which is operated by handle 100. 7

It is thus apparent that the width of the opening between the tracks,and consequently between the ropes at, any point thereof may becontrolled at will from the near end of the grader A. The width of theopening between the tracks at the far end 103 thereof is shown by thegraduated scale indicator 68 and dial 67. The expan sion or contractionof the endless ropes or belts is compensated by the weighted idler- 40.A rotatable movement is imparted to the fruit as it is being conveyed bythe ropes by reason of the fact that one of the two ropes that conveyseach line of fruit travels slightly more rapidly than the other. This isaccomplishedby the two pulleys 7 and 10 being slightly smallerindiameter than pulleys 8 and 9.

As the pieces of fruit fall through the space between the ropes or beltsand the tracks, they drop upon the canvas drops 3, from whence they rollto and across the padded canvas chute 3 into the bin 4. The pieces offruit that are too large to pass through the opening between the ropesand the track are conveyed to the end 103 of the tracks, where they dropto the loose wooden pulley wheels 72 and are thence conveyed to thecanvas iron chutes 126, from which points they slide or roll by force ofgravity to a padded canvas chute 3 to bin 4. r

I claim:

1. In a fruit grading and sizing apparaable pulleys both'in the paralleland the diverging portions of said guides, means for keeping in a tautcondition the said ropes, and means for disposing of large fruit thatpasses beyond the far end of said guides.

2. In a fruit grading and sizing apparatus, comprising a pair ofassociated normally stationary grooved guides parallel for V a portionof their length and diverging longitudinally for the remainder of theirlength, ropes movable longitudinally on said guldes, means to operatesaid ropes, receptacles to receive different grades of fruitlocatedbeneath the ropes, one of said guides being shiftable relativeto theother, shift tropes in a taut position. 7

4;. In a fruit grading and sizing apparatus, a pair of associatednormally stationary grooved guides parallel fora portion of thelr lengthand diverging longitudinally for the remainder of their length, ropesmovable longitudinally on said guides, means to operate said ropes,receptacles to receive different grades of fruit located be neath theropes, means for tightening said receptacles, and one of said guidesbeing shiftable', relative to the other, shiftable pulleys for saidshiftable guide, means for shifting said shiftable guide and saidshiftable pulleys both in the parallel and'the diverging portions ofsaid guides, means for making said ropes endless, means for keeping in ataut condition the said ropes and means for disposing oflarge fruit thatpasses beyond the far end of said guides.

In testimony-whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

, [JOHN F. BARGHAUSEN.

'lVitnesses:

A. J. Dnonnn, L. S. HULBERT.

